A Stranger Things showrunner and executive producer has addressed one of the biggest talking points surrounding the new spinoff, and it’s not the answer fans were expecting.
Tales From '85 Is Problematic
Before the release of the 3D animated spin-off Stranger Things: Tales From '85 (2026) on April 23, fans had pointed out a major continuity problem. Set between seasons 2 and 3 of the flagship show, the new series revisits Hawkins during the winter of 1985, bringing back the core group of characters — albeit with a new voice cast — for a previously unseen and never-before-mentioned adventure tied to the Upside Down.
The issue raised by viewers has been its apparent contradiction with established continuity. None of the events depicted in Tales From ’85 are referenced in later seasons of the original series, which concluded with its fifth season last year. That disconnect has led to widespread debate online about whether the spinoff can be considered canon.
Related: ‘Stranger Things' Live-Action Series Permanently Changed by Netflix : Disney Fanatic
New Comments Only Make Things Worse
Now, in comments to The Hollywood Reporter, showrunner and executive producer Eric Robles has cleared things up — although his explanation is unlikely to settle the argument. Rather than confirming the series as fully canon, Robles described it in more flexible terms, effectively placing it somewhere between official continuity and standalone storytelling.
“The assignment was… build this fun, frozen-in-time moment with these kids,” Robles explained, comparing the series to The Real Ghostbusters, which similarly expanded on its source material without strictly adhering to continuity. He added that while the creative team respected certain boundaries set by the Duffer Brothers, there were clear limits to how deeply the spin-off could tie into the main storyline.
When pressed further on whether the series should be considered canon, Robles agreed with the description of it as “soft canon,” suggesting that while the characters and tone align with the original show, the events themselves may not carry full weight within the established narrative.
That distinction hasn’t stopped the backlash. While Tales From ’85 has performed well enough to secure a second season — which is set to debut during the fall this year — audience response has been far more divided. Early ratings place it firmly in mixed territory, reflecting the ongoing uncertainty around how it fits into the broader franchise.
On Rotten Tomatoes (as at May 1), it holds a 61% approval rating based on 31 critic reviews, and a 56% approval rating with audiences. Meanwhile, on Metacritic, which uses a “weighted average,” it holds a score of 52 out of 100 based on 17 critics, and 5.3 with audiences based on 28 user ratings, which are both categorized as “mixed or average.”
For Netflix, the decision highlights a wider challenge as it continues to expand one of its most valuable properties. Building out the world of Stranger Things without undermining what came before is no easy task — and if Tales From ’85 is anything to go by, it’s a balancing act that’s already proving difficult to maintain.
All Stranger Things Seasons Now Streaming
Tales From ’85 is now streaming in full on Netflix. Watch the official trailer below:
It stars Brooklyn Davey Norstedt as Eleven, Luca Diaz as Mike Wheeler, Braxton Quinney as Dustin Henderson, Jolie Hoang-Rappaport as Max Mayfield, Elisha Williams as Lucas Sinclair, Ben Plessala as Will Byers, Odessa A’zion as Nikki Baxter, Brett Gipson as Jim Hopper, Janeane Garofalo as Anna Baxter, Griffin Burns as Jonathan Byers, Jeremy Jordan as Steve Harrington, Lou Diamond Phillips as Daniel Fischer, Robert Englund as Cosmo, Alysia Reiner as Karen Wheeler, Alessandra Antonelli as Nancy Wheeler, Valeria Rodriguez as Rosario, and Jack Griffo as Jeff.
Stranger Things seasons 1–5 are also available to watch.
Have you watched Tales From ’85 yet? Or are you done with Stranger Things after Season 5? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below!
